Illustration of totem pole
- totem pole 1
totem pole
noun
1
: a pole or pillar carved and painted with a series of totemic symbols representing family lineage and often mythical or historical incidents and erected by Indian tribes of the northwest coast of North America
2
: an order of rank : hierarchy
Examples of totem pole in a Sentence
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Other items on the agenda include exploring the pristine west coast of Chichagof Island, visiting the Tlingit community of Kake (site of the world’s tallest totem pole), and visiting a slew of tidewater glaciers.
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Bailey Berg, AFAR Media, 18 Feb. 2025
Norman Tait of the Nisga'a people carved the 21-foot totem pole.
—Jeremy Duda, Axios, 8 Jan. 2025
For me, ketchup is pretty low on the totem pole, while ranch is and always has been a favorite.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2024
The Hornets have been at the bottom of the totem pole for the past handful of years.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for totem pole
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Bailey Berg, AFAR Media, 18 Feb. 2025
Norman Tait of the Nisga'a people carved the 21-foot totem pole.
—Jeremy Duda, Axios, 8 Jan. 2025
For me, ketchup is pretty low on the totem pole, while ranch is and always has been a favorite.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2024
The Hornets have been at the bottom of the totem pole for the past handful of years.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for totem pole
Cite this Entry
“Totem pole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/totem%20pole. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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